1 Understanding the Use and Influence of Publications of the Gulf of Maine Council June 2011 Presented by Peter G. Wells, based on study by D. M. Cossarini, with B.H. MacDonald, S.S.Soomai, & P.G. Wells. Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The EIUI Team, May

The Use and Influence of Scientific Information Communication of scientific information is a main issue in increasing public participation in decision making. (Mitchell 2010; Mitchell et al. 2006) In public policy settings, grey literature may be of greater importance than peer-reviewed journals. (Shanley & López, 2009; Soomai, Wells, & MacDonald, 2011) Diffusion, use, and influence of scientific information in grey literature are complex and variable processes. (Ascher, Steelman, & Healy, 2010; de Alwis, Majid, and Chaudhry, 2006; Evans and Reimer, 2009; Healy and Ascher, 1995; Holmes and Clark, 2008; McNie, 2007; Stojanovic, et al. 2009; Thatje, Laudien, Heilmayer, and Nauen, 2007; Tribbia and Moser, 2008; Wells, 2003)

4 The Importance of this Research to the Council’s Mandate Communication about all of GOMC’s activities and issues affecting the Gulf has been ongoing from its beginning in Publications have been a key element of the communication strategy. Their use and influence need to be determined in support of the Council’s mandate and activities Action Plan Communication is an integral part of components of the Action Plan, and the value of investing in State of Environment reporting for the Gulf is currently being assessed.

5 EIUI Research Guiding Framework

6 1) What is the impact of literature produced by governmental environmental organizations? 2) How should impact of this (grey) literature be measured and assessed? 3) In public policy, decision-making contexts, are research reports published as grey literature perceived differently than primary research papers ? 4) Given developments in digital publications and search technologies, how should publications be designed for effective discovery and impact? EIUI Program Research Questions (07-10)

7 EIUI Research Questions - Program ) What roles do scientific information play in informing policy decisions on marine environmental issues? 2) Does such information produced by governmental and non-governmental organizations reach decision makers in an efficient and timely manner? If not, why not? 3) Given the vast and growing volume of such scientific information, what qualities / standards / filters do policy-makers use in determining which forms and/or authoring bodies are most reliable as information sources? 4) What role do the media and/or social networks and other web-based information dissemination pathways play in the generation of marine environmental policy? 5) What are the institutional enablers and barriers to the use of marine environmental information at the science-policy interface. What role(s) do grey literature play as drivers, enablers, and barriers?

8 GOMC Case Study – 3 Projects Created Bibliographic Database of GOMC Publications and Conducted Citation study ( ). Interviews of Working Group members ( ). Evaluation of Awareness and Use of the State of the Gulf Theme Papers ( ).

9 Council Publications Reports and fact sheets Reports and fact sheets Background documents Background documents Action plans and annual reports Action plans and annual reports Brochures and posters Brochures and posters Serials Serials Miscellaneous Miscellaneous Council-supported publications Reports and background documents Reports and background documents Miscellaneous documents Miscellaneous documents2425 Reprints of Council authored documents 14 Conference papers, journal articles and abstracts 37 GOMC Publications ─ (Total 312) * * As of November 2006

10 OnlinePrint Gulf of Maine Region United States (outside Gulf region) 6130 Canada (outside of Gulf region) 2435 Europe231 Rest of world 137 Total Citations & locations of users (2006)

11 1.How are publications produced by GOMC? 2.What is the understanding of GOMC Working Group members about publication practices of the organization? 3.How are GOMC publications disseminated? a. Do interviewees consider distribution / dissemination to be important? 4.What evidence of use of the publications do the interviewees provide? 5.What factors promote or inhibit production, use, and influence of the GOMC publications? GOMC Interview Study Research Questions (thesis study of Danielle Cossarini)

12 Interview Study ─ Methodology Instrument – Two interview protocols were used. Selection – Interviewees were selected from the list of Working Group members on GOMC’s website. Interviews – Participants were interviewed in person or by telephone. Data Analysis – Interview transcripts were coded for data analysis using Nvivo (qualitative data analysis software).

13 “… There’s a review process that’s currently hard to figure out.” (Working Group Member Q). Interview Analysis ─ Production

14 The Production Process for GOMC is … Iterative “… You know there was a lot of back and forth in getting that approved.” (Working Group Member N). Highly collaborative “….…there was …….lots of input from lots of people…who helped to provide content…that’s true of almost all of the publications that I’ve been familiar with …” (Working Group Member D). Subject to multilevel approval “A publication will be referred to … the Management and Finance Committee … and to the Outreach Committee …” (Working Group Member R).

15 The Production Process is … (cont.) Less efficient than optimal “….. I’m not completely convinced that all the mechanisms that we’re trying to use …are working the way they should” (Working Group Member M). Variable “ ……. like most organizations it’s serendipity. It is the individual who helps put a report together, thinks of ways to disseminate it, in creative ways in ways that might be responsive to the target audience.” (Working Group Member L).

16 Types of Report Distribution Conducted by GOMC WG Members Types of Distribution% of WG By agencies within each Jurisdiction (print copies only)52.6% ing or forwarding a publication52.6% At meetings or conferences42.1% Based on an interest in the subject of a publication42.1% By members of the producing Committee36.8% Word of mouth (talking about information in documents)31.6% Person-to-person (handing a document to another person)26.3% Putting a publication on the Web site26.3% Using internal and external marketing or advertising21.1% By members of the Working Group10.5% Via a library (using a library as a point of access)10.5% By GOMC Councilors5.3% By members of the Secretariat5.3% By serendipity5.3% Using the postal system (mail)5.3%

17 “I put together lists of colleagues by interest or geographic area. If I were told that a new publication came out on ….. shellfish contamination, I would have a group of people that I would send that out to…” (Working Group Member Q). Informal Distribution Process Encourages Creativity “I’m an aggressive forwarder ” (Working Group Member I).

18 Use of the GOMC Publications Difficult to provide concrete evidence of use (from interviews) “……..It's really hard for me to answer the question just because I don't remember how many times somebody has said to me [that they used a publication]…” (Working Group member D) “…normally it’s just off [the publication] goes, it could have been deleted, it could have been read, it could have been valued, I don’t know … we all push a lot of information out there and hope it … sticks or it is relevant or used” (Working Group Member I).

19 Types of Use% of WG Members Cited by Other Publications26.3% By Professors at Nearby Universities 15.8% Industry/Government (i.e., Meramec Dam Removal on the Skowhegan River) 15.8% Regulations or guidelines (e.g. Salt Marsh Restoration Protocols in New Hampshire) 15.8% Word of Mouth from Colleagues Outside of GOMC 15.8% GOMC Affiliated Agency of Publishing Author or Committee 5.3% Not-for-Profit Organizations5.3% Types of Use, based on interviews Evidence of use was largely anecdotal

20 I have seen a number of reports that have been done by the US Geological Survey on aquatic habitats… which quote the Gulf of Maine Council reports, like Eel Grass…and the Salt Marsh one and…Tides of Change…they are part of a scientific discourse about restoration and conservation efforts” (Working Group Member Q). “We have a five or six page handout on [the] American Eel … and its status in the Gulf of Maine. So, I gave that to our pelagics advisor and he found it very informative … now he never told me … that changed how [he] recommended to the minister what our position is on it …” (Working Group Member K). Examples of Evidence of Use Cited by Other Publications Evidence of use, but not of influence

21 Understanding Enablers & Barriers

22 Enablers-highlightsBarriers-highlights Production  Publications Protocol is in place  Identification of an audience and need for information  Commitment and involvement by GOMC Members  Debate over an identified audience for each publication  Unclear production criteria/unaware of standards/practices set out in the Publications Protocol  Unclear review process Distribution  Diverse means of dissemination, i.e., postcards, CDs, , Web site  Adoption of information technology, e.g., RSS feeds  Good contacts with stakeholders  Identification of a target audience  Lack of promotion of publications  Reluctance to adopt new technologies, e.g., wikis  Publications not placed in central repositories, i.e., libraries  No distribution strategy (lack of accountability for where and how publications are distributed) or records of distribution Use  GOMC Members encourage internal use  Readability of publications  Briefing note attached to document  Web site use tracked  GOMC reports considered in work towards state/province legislation  Publications page on website is ineffectively organized for retrieval  Grey literature has “tainted” credibility  Information is not well translated for general users

23 Enablers & Barriers (as a Percent of Respondents for each Attribute)

24 Some Key Findings related to GOMC Publications (Cossarini 2010) Production Publishing GOMC reports as grey literature is not a matter of concern and does not influence their promotion and use. Distribution It is a dynamic process, showing that no single approach to distribution is as effective as multiple and varied means. Use and Influence Use and influence of GOMC information is under-evaluated as it has been outside the capacity of the Council.

25 State of the Gulf Report (Theme Papers) Study, 2011 To determine awareness & use of the six theme papers to date(2010)  Survey of Council Members.  Survey of Working Group Members.  Online survey of readers of the Gulf of Maine Times. (study supported by DFO-BIO)

State of the Gulf Report (Theme Papers) Study,

“ The State of Nova Scotia's Coast Report provides an overview of the condition of our coast and information on priority coastal issues. We must look at ways to protect the coast where we live, work, and play. It is vital to who we are and a way of life that is valued by Nova Scotians.” The 2009 State of Nova Scotia’s Coast Report Stirling Belliveau, NS Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture

Use of the State of Nova Scotia’s Coast Report

Surveys and Web statistics Government-initiated reports play an important role in policy and decision-making contexts. Information in Policy and Decision Making The 2009 State of Nova Scotia’s Coast Report Sustainable Coastal Development Strategy (forthcoming in 2011)

30 We really appreciate the Council’s support of this research. Your comments and questions are welcomed.